Firstly, you need to design according to your climate. A house in a desert or tropical region would require a different design to one in a Mediterranean or temperate climate. Windows should be south-facing in northern hemisphere, north-facing in southern hemisphere.

Thus, in Southern Africa, it’s better to have a north-facing house, with a passive energy system to moderate climate. Ross Mars, in the Basics of Permaculture design, defines a passive solar house as one which effectively uses the sun’s energy to keep it warm or cool and to moderate the adverse effects of climate on the house.

Keeping the house cool during the day and warm at night

A house in desert or tropical climates would benefit from design that keeps it cool in the day and warm at night. Strategies to ensure this include:

Using sash windows to create air circulation

Painting surfaces white to reflect light

Shutters to keep direct sunlight out but allow air in

Planting deciduous vines or trees to allow for winter sun and summer shade

Building a veranda

Directing cool winds towards the house using breezeways

Building an underground or earth covered house, which keeps temperature constant

Using convection or fans to draw cool air into rooms

Insulating the roof and walls to keep cold air out at night

Minimal windows on the sun-facing side

A ventilation tower (like a tall chimney) will enable cool air to be drawn through the house

Keeping your house warm in colder climates

Meanwhile, to keep a house warm with minimal use of fuel, you can try the following design strategies:

Reduce heat loss through insulation

Use double glazing (especially in sun shaded side and in direction of cold winds)

Increase the thermal mass of your house (brick walls, dark slate on floor), which absorbs excess heat and releases it slowly during the night

A Trombe wall is a very thick sun-facing wall, which is painted black and made of a material that absorbs excess heat such as stone, concrete or adobe. A pane of glass or plastic glazing, installed a few inches in front of the wall, helps hold in the heat. The wall heats up slowly during the day. Then as it cools gradually during the night, it gives off its heat inside the building.

We then split into groups, to design a house. Avice gave us the following questions to address in our design:

1. Weather – how to use warmth of day and cool of night to our advantage

2. Location - where to place the house

3. Materials – what materials to use

4. Light – early morning and hot afternoon sun

5. Air – where are the winds coming from?

6. Water flows: catchment

7. Family – how many people require living space? In our case it was 5 adults, 2 kids and an old lady

8. Water –fresh water storage and waste water

9. Height – double story

10. Energy - want to go off the grid but have temporary power

I was placed in a group with Leon, Paul and Ervart. Taking shelter under a tree as it began drizzling, we surveyed the plot of land we’d been allocated. Set on a gradual slope facing the river, we were threatened by floods during rainy season. We determined that we receive sun from the north, and sometimes experienced strong westerly winds.

So we decided to place our house on a level plain, high enough to be safe from flooding, while maximising views from the river. Taking advantage of the materials nature provided, we would build with rocks and use clay from termite mounds. Our roof would be thatched with clay over to keep it cool in the hot afternoon summer sun.

With lots of windows and skylights, we’d maximise available sun. A double story design to accommodate our large family, the house will be built rounded and underground. A ventilation or wind tower cools the interior, while our chimney is painted black, which sucks heat up if the window is open. A fireplace in the centre of the house would keep it warm in winter.

We’d catch water by digging swales next to the house on each side to grow our veg. A secondary catchment area would be created further down our slope, where we’d create our food forest. Our waste water would be piped to our septic tank, while we’d have a freshwater tank to catch rainwater.

For our energy requirements, we’d harvest energy from the sun using solar panels which power our geyser and meet our electricity needs. This is supplemented by hot water from our compost heap, a windmill and a wind-powered pump. We also have a hydro-electric dam to harvest the water power.

To create a natural windbreak, we decided to plant Jackwood and Milkwood trees.

With visionaries such as Leon and Ervert in our team, we also had fish reservoirs which recirculated water through wind power (rotary pump hooked to wind system) allowing us to earn a substantial income, oyster tanks and more, ensuring our family’s long-term income.

Then we broke for lunch which was hummus wrapped in spinach leaves, salad and a delicious red cabbage and raisin salad.

We stood in a circle around a large bucket, discussing what biodynamics is. The term biodynamics is derived from the Greek words ‘bio’ (life) and ‘dynamics’ (energy). Much of biodynamics is based on the theories of the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner some 80 years ago.

Essentially, biodynamic farming and gardening looks upon the soil and the farm as living organisms. It regards maintenance and furtherance of soil life as a basic necessity if the soil is to be preserved for generations, and the ideal farm being self-contained with the animals providing the manure for fertility, and the crops produced feeding the animals.

I’m not going to go into too much detail on biodynamics here, as that’s another course on its own! To sum it up, biodynamics is a holistic approach that includes spiritual and cosmic forces along with the use of preparations to improve growing conditions and soil fertility.

Nizreen and Irshaad had recently completed a biodynamics course in India, thus Nizreen took us through how to make a BD500 Prep, which is field spray used to enhance growing conditions.

The prep is created by stuffing cow manure into a cow horn, burying it over winter, and then taking a small amount of the fermented manure and stirring it into fresh water for an hour.

Creating a vortex

Avice explained that the stirring method is important to attract cosmic influences into the liquid. Hazel went first, demonstrating how you can use a stick to stir the water in one direction until a vortex forms in the bottom of the bucket, and then reverse the direction, creating chaos.

We all took turns with the stick but then tried with our hands (which I felt worked better as your energy is transferred to the water) to stir the water.

We did this for an entire hour, taking turns as each person got tired, and ensuring our entire group’s energy went into the prep. As our group member's tired out, we gave them a group massage, ensuring even more positive energy!

Once the preparation was made, Avice took a sprig of rosemary and demonstrated how to spray each powerful droplet all over the farm. She explained that the best time to spray is in the afternoon, when the soil is warmer and thus it has more of an impact.

Leon and I were assigned the wild olive trees, and using a sprig of lavender we sprayed it everywhere. With loads to spare, we then visited the swales. It was really an uplifting experience, we all felt connected on a deep level, and connected to the soil itself.

The day’s work finished, we had another fantastic meal of roasted veggies and a spinach and macadamia nut salad.

For those who still had energy, the documentary WATER, featuring Dr Masuru Emoto (What the bleep do we know) and other prominent scientists, was screened.

We watched Dr Emoto as he presented music, written and spoken words (both positive and negative) at water droplets before they are frozen, and documented how images of the water crystals change accordingly.

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